The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for a Karaoke-type entertainment center. More particularly, this entertainment center includes a system and apparatus for transmitting and displaying music, text, and/or video for users to sing or act along with at the entertainment stage area within a karaoke player room.
The phenomenon of karaoke entertainment in the United States and worldwide for users to listen or sing along with their favorite music is becoming a popular entertainment trend. Karaoke is making the user the singing star they have wanted to become by singing along with their favorite rock and roll, pop, alternative rock, country and western, folk, rhythm and blues and salsa songs. In karaoke, the user can have the same music playing in the background from their favorite song, while the user then sings the lyrics. Karaoke software allows users who do not know the words to the song, to sing along by scrolling the lyrics across the screen of a monitor. This allows the user to sing along (Karaoke) and to fulfill their dreams of being a star.
Karaoke is a Japanese abbreviated compound word: xe2x80x9ckaraxe2x80x9d comes from xe2x80x9ckarappoxe2x80x9d meaning empty, and xe2x80x9cokexe2x80x9d is the abbreviation of xe2x80x9cokesuturaxe2x80x9d or orchestra. Usually, a music disk consists of vocals and accompaniment; however, music disks in which only the accompaniment is recorded are called xe2x80x9cKaraoke CD""s or Karaoke Disks.xe2x80x9d
Karaoke started in Japan and has become very popular in the United States and around the world and is now available in almost every single language. The first format for Karaoke was actually on audio cassette tape, but that format was limited because it did not have any lyrics available for the singer except on printed sheet music.
The Karaoke industry is relatively new to the U.S., and owners and operators of karaoke entertainment centers are few in number. Most ofthe karaoke entertainment centers are small operations. The typical karaoke centers are owned by Asians and marketed for the Asian communities with limited English version videos. There are many Americans bars that have karaoke nights or special karaoke events. But there are no bars and entertainment clubs whose business is to offer karaoke every night.
In the early 1990""s the Pioneer Corporation created 12xe2x80x3 Karaoke Disks in laser format similar to the Laser Video disks for popular movies. The Laser format was very popular since the lyrics to the accompaniment music could be played on a TV screen in time with the music. This made it very easy for a Karaoke singer to xe2x80x9csing-alongxe2x80x9d. In addition, the Laser format had the added feature of a background video and in many cases displayed images that complemented the style and mood ofthe song. All laser disk players would play the karaoke disks but not all laser disks had microphone inputs for mixing the singer and the accompaniment so Pioneer introduced special laser disk karaoke players. But the small production runs of Laser Karaoke players and Laser Karaoke disks made the laser disks format no longer predominate the Karaoke industry. Another competing Karaoke format was introduced at about the same time. CD plus graphics or CDG.
The 5xe2x80x3 CDG format is very similar to the audio CD format in size and technology, except for one difference. CDG karaoke disks contain an additional track which first play the song lyrics in graphics on a TV and they are smaller and less expensive than laser disks. CDG Karaoke disks, however, have no moving picture video in the background. The words comprising the lyrics are typically displayed on a blue background and are highlighted in a contrasting color to signal when the words should be sung (The modem version of xe2x80x9cfollowing the bouncing ballxe2x80x9d). The CDG format is the Karaoke standard today for most of the world""s Karaoke.
As with the laser disks, the CDG karaoke disk requires a special Karaoke Player called a Karaoke CDG Player. The Karaoke CDG player is similar to a regular CD audio player except that it has a xe2x80x9cGxe2x80x9d chip for reading the graphics track. In addition, a CDG karaoke player also has microphone inputs and a key controller to adjust for the singer""s key and an echo control to enhance the singer""s voice.
Recently, another karaoke disk format has emerged called Video CD. This 5xe2x80x3 disk format is not like CD Audio or CDG disks, except in size. Video CD is MPEG 2.0 format. Both of these formats are designed for motion picture displays but have been adapted for Karaoke. Video CD is most popular in Southeast Asia and in the United Kingdom, but is gaining on the CDG format in the United States. Like Laser Karaoke Disks, Video CD Karaoke disks provide not only the lyrics in time with the accompaniment, but also a video background display that complements the song. This format is very inexpensive with disks about half the price of CDG disks. However, what is needed to play video CD disks is either a CDG Karaoke player which has Video CD capabilities or a DVD player since all DVD players can play video CD format. Many CDG karaoke players are combination Video CD and CDG formats and operate the same way as a regular CDG Karaoke player.
DVD Karaoke disks were introduced in 1998. Most of the DVD karaoke disks are replications of the video CD karaoke disks or the older laser karaoke disks. The video background on a DVD karaoke disk is much higher than a video CD disk or Laser disk but to date there are no added music or sound quality or special DVD features. The DVD Karaoke disks tend to be higher priced and there is less of a selection of songs. A special DVD Karaoke Player is needed to mix the vocals and the accompaniment.
Currently, there are no bars, night clubs or entertainment clubs whose business is to provide and offer Karaoke every night to the non-Asian public in the United States. There remains a need for a system and apparatus for transmitting and displaying music audio and text for users to sing along with (karaoke) at an entertainment stage area within an individual karaoke player room. Further, the individual karaoke player room of this entertainment center will have T1 bandwidth technology to allow access to leased videos of popular songs. A special Compact Disc player (CDG player) having the ability to display graphics will be employed to display videos of popular songs on a large screen monitor. The rooms are available to rent by the hour so that customers can xe2x80x9cKaraokexe2x80x9d (sing along) to their favorite song. Customers can then purchase videos or digital photos of their performances. Additionally, the entertainment center will carry the latest digital technology and data networks.
The only relevant prior art are existing karaoke-type entertainment centers located at various theme parks, such as Great Adventure, Disneyland and the like. However, none of these theme park karaoke-type entertainment centers includes the system and apparatus of a karaoke entertainment center having multiple private karaoke player rooms as claimed in the present invention. No relevant prior art patents were found for Karaoke-type entertainment centers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center that includes a system and apparatus for transmitting and displaying music audio, text and videos for users to sing along with (karaoke) or act at an entertainment stage area within an individual karaoke player room.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center as a unique and premier place for family friendly entertainment where parents can go with their children, as a way to spend quality time in order to have clean and wholesome functions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center that has the latest digital technology and data networks in which customers can purchase videos or digital photos of their sing along performances.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center that includes a plurality of private and individual karaoke player rooms, where these rooms are available to rent by the hour so that customers can sing along (karaoke) to their favorite songs, or act along to a favorite play or movie, or partake in interactive speeches by famous orators.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center where its use of an individual and private karaoke player room give customers privacy with their close friends and family. Further, there are no host/hostess required to keep the group interested, such that the customers do not have to worry about performing in front of an unknown and/or large audience, which results in the users feeling comfortable and will have more opportunity to sing along (karaoke) to their favorite songs or act to their favorite plays or movies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center for corporate use by promoting the karaoke concept and karaoke rooms as a place to have group functions in order to promote team building and comraderie.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center for inspiring musicians or actors to video tape themselves and their group where the video tape can be used as an audition tape, as the entertainment center is less expensive than a recording studio.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center that includes T1 bandwidth technology to allow unlimited access to leased videos of current and popular songs or movies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center that includes the use of a novel compact disc player (CDG) having the ability to display visual graphics on a large screen monitor of music videos of current and popular songs, movies or plays as chosen by the users.
A further object of the present invention to provide a karaoke-type entertainment center that is user friendly, affordable by the consumer and economical in operation by the operator/owner.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided an entertainment system for storing, transmitting and displaying music, pictures and sound from videos and audios in any format for users to sing or act along with. The entertainment system includes an entertainment center having a central computer and server, a hardswitch connected to the central computer and server, and a converter connected to the hardswitch; and at least one user sub-station location having a plurality of individual karaoke player rooms. The entertainment system also includes a remote library source of videos/audios on any format having T1 bandwidth lines for transmitting to the entertainment center; and the entertainment center also having T1 bandwidth lines for transmitting to at least one of the user sub-stations locations. The converter includes a karaoke video disc player for converting the received video/audio into a desired karaoke formatted song. Each of the karaoke player rooms includes a workstation for selecting the desired karaoke formatted song or video, a viewing monitor for displaying the selected videos/audios in the converted karaoke formatted song, a karaoke microphone for the user to sing or act into, and a video camera for recording the user""s performance. At least one of the user sub-station locations includes communication and storage means in the form of a network router, a modem and server for interfacing with the workstations. The central computer and server includes a karaoke software program for selecting, receiving and storing one of the videos/audios fro the remote library source; and the hardswitch includes an electronic interface device for interfacing and communicating with one or more of the workstations.